EAU CLAIRE, Wis. –Sophomore goaltender McKenzie Whalen (East Grand Forks, Minn./East Grand Forks) made her second consecutive strong start for the UW-Superior women's hockey team, but fifth-ranked UW-Eau Claire used a late power-play goal to nip the Yellowjackets, 1-0, at Hobbs Ice Arena on Saturday.
 
Whalen, who earned her first career shutout with 23 saves in a 1-0 win over Bethel on Tuesday, stopped 18-of-19 shots against the Blugolds, but Emma Peterson banged home the rebound of a point shot at 14:04 of the third period for the game winner. Whalen stopped Ella Ierino's initial shot on the power play, but couldn't get to Peterson's follow-up attempt. Her seventh goal of the season was also assisted by Hanna Zavoral 
 
With the win the Blugolds (13-2-1, 5-0-0 WIAC) take the season series from UWS (9-4-1, 2-3-0 WIAC), 2-0-1, and move five points clear of Superior in the league standings.
 
The late power play was one of only two penalties on the night in a tight-checking, yet cleanly played contest. The 'Jackets forced Eau Claire goaltender Erin Connolly to do her best work in the second period as she made 10 of her 19 saves in the middle stanza. Following the goal, Connolly also thwarted a bid from sophomore Tessa Jorde (Thief River Falls, Minn./Lincoln) to preserve the shutout.
 
Superior blocked 13 UWEC shots on the night, led by sophomore Jenna Byfuglien (Roseau, Minn./Roseau) with a game-high five. Junior Jenna Curtis (Webster, Wis./Webster) was the 'Jackets' top player in the faceoff circle, winning 13 of her 21 draws taken. Amanda Sergent (Eagle River, Wis./Northland Pines) paced UWS with four shots on goal while Rachel Garland (Windsor, Colo./Colorado Connections Academy) and Curtis each fired three.
 
UWS has another tough test next week, traveling to UW-River Falls Thursday at 7 p.m., before hosting the Falcons next Saturday at 2 p.m.